Abd Allah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab
ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (Arabic: عبد الله بن عمر ابن الخطاب; c. 610 – 693), commonly known as Ibn Umar, was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of the second Caliph Umar. He was a prominent authority in hadith and law. He remained neutral during the events of the first Fitna (656–661).[1]
ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar
عبد الله بن عمر
عبد الله بن عمر
c. 693 (aged 82–83)
Safiya bint Abu Ubayd
- Salim
- Abu Bakr
- Abu Ubayda
- Waqid
- Hafsa
- Sawda
- Umar ibn al-Khattab (father)
- Zaynab bint Maz'un (mother)
Early Islamic Period
- Hafsa (sister)
- Ubayd Allah (brother)
- Asim (brother)
- Zayd (brother)
Muhammad's era — 610 to 632[edit]
Abd Allah ibn Umar (kunya Abu Abd al-Rahman[2] : 156 ) was born in 610 in Mecca,[3]: 207 three years after the beginning of Muhammad's message.[2]: 156 He was the son of Umar ibn al-Khattab and Zaynab bint Maz'un.[3]: 203–204 His full siblings were Hafsa and Abd al-Rahman. His paternal brothers, born to his stepmother Umm Kulthum bint Jarwal, were Zayd and Ubayd Allah. He had another stepmother, Qurayba bint Abi Umayya, but she had no children of her own.[3]: 204
It was said that the young Abd Allah had vivid memories of his father's conversion to Islam. It is believed he accepted Islam together with his father, although some sources disagree about the year of his acceptance.[4]: 950 He remembered following his father around the town as Umar declared his conversion to the neighbours and on the steps of the Kaaba. Abd Allah asserted, "Although I was very young at the time, I understood everything I saw."[5]: 138 His mother Zaynab also became a Muslim, but his two stepmothers did not.[5]: 510 [6]
His family emigrated to Medina in 622,[5]: 218 although he may have emigrated to Medina before his father.[4]: 950 Before the Battle of Uhud in March 625, Muhammad called Abd Allah Ibn Umar, who was then fourteen years old, to present himself. But when Abd Allah appeared, Muhammad would not allow him to fight in the battle. Two years later, as the Battle of the Trench approached, Muhammad again called Abd Allah, and this time he decreed that he was old enough because he was mature and reached puberty. He was also present at the Battle of Al-Muraysi in 628.[7]
He was enlisted in the last army prepared by Muhammad for the expedition of Usama bin Zayd.[8]: 229
Political interests[edit]
During his caliphate, Umar created a council and took his son Abd Allah as his advisor, but did not permit him to introduce himself as a caliphate candidate after his father.[8]: 229
At the Arbitration of Siffin, some sources report that Abu Musa al-Ash'ari nominated Abd Allah Ibn Umar for the caliphate, but Amr ibn al-As objected.[11]: 452
Ibn Umar participated in battles in Iraq, Persia and Egypt, but he remained neutral throughout the first Fitna.[12]: 30 In 656, he prevented his sister Hafsa from following Aisha to the Battle of the Camel.[13]
While in Medina during the Second Fitna of the 680s, Abd Allah Ibn Umar, together with Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr and Abd Allah ibn Abbas, advised Husayn ibn Ali to remain at Mecca. Husayn did not take this advice but chose to go to Kufa.[14]
Legacy[edit]
Abd Allah ibn Umar was the second most prolific narrator of Hadith, with a total of 2,630 narrations.[12]: 27 It was said that he was extremely careful about what he narrated and that he narrated with his eyes full of tears.[12]: 30–31 He was very cautious in life and thus was also cautious in his judgement. He defeated the mighty army of the pagan tribes of Mecca in various battles such as those of Badr (in 624 CE) and “the Trench” or al-Khandaq (in 627 CE)[4] : 951